China Conducts Simulated Attack on Taiwan with Military Jets and Ships.

China has conducted military drills around Taiwan, including simulated strikes by aircraft carrier-based warplanes on the island, as part of its Operation Joint Sword. The drills included 35 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossing into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, including four J-15 fighter jets, which are developed for use on Beijing’s growing fleet of aircraft carriers. The PLA was practicing and refining the aerial coordination and joint operations required to initiate a blockade of Taiwan’s ports and air lanes. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that the drills had destabilized the region, while Japan scrambled Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets in response.